Fundamental Restoration

When I was young, I did not have very much. My Father was a coal miner during times when the job was more dangerous than now and paid much less. We never had material wealth that is for certain. Still, I do not recall feeling poor or being told I was poor. I believe the reason for that lies in a time and world view much different from today’s.

I was encouraged by the adults I looked up to and especially by my school teachers. The running theme offered by each of them was that this is America and here you can be whatever you set your mind to be, but you have to work for it. Never once in my young life did someone suggest to me that it was somehow the fault of another, the straw man evil rich guy, that I was not wealthy. Instead, I was taught about abundance. I learned that there is plenty to go around and that I too could become wealthy, if I worked at it and if I made the right choices along the way. I was also taught that my freedom to choose my own path in this country was guaranteed. I was never taught that the government or anyone owed me anything or that my predicament in life was caused by another. In fact, it was quite the opposite that I learned and that has been reinforced to me over a lifetime. Work hard. Pursue the opportunities placed in your path and realize that God drew up the roadmap for your life, but it is up to you to follow it.

When I played little league baseball, not every boy played in every game. Actually, some boys never made the team their first try or even the second. The best players made the team and the best of them played in the games. The rest of us got splinters in our britches a ridin’ the pine. I certainly had my share of splinters, but it made me work harder to eventually earn my way off the bench and into the game- the key word being earned. It set the foundation for a good work ethic and built in me a competitive and winning spirit. There was no participation trophy. It also taught me that when you are old enough to finally play the game, you should not expect to play ahead of someone several years your senior in age and skill. This is a lesson that transfers to life, especially in a modern America where kids leaving school expect CEO salaries on intern responsibilities.

I can recall my early elementary school days beginning with the pledge of allegiance to our nation’s flag followed by singing the first verse of America.

My country,’ tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims’ pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

I also recall being led in the Lord’s Prayer – inside the classroom by a teacher.

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Hopefully, I have put the ACLU into collective convulsions with those shocking historic revelations. The religion of atheism was successful in removing the prayer. The impact of that is obvious. The pledge? Even if schools do it, the kids do not have to. I suppose there is no need for children learning to show reverence to the Creator from whom their freedom originates nor pledging allegiance to the only country on this earth founded on the principle of protecting each individual’s expression of his Creator endowed freedom.

It was that type of upbringing that founded and produced a Christian conservative nation no matter that modern day politicians and liberal academicians might have the audacity to hope that you will believe otherwise. It is a nation that is the freest, most prosperous and most generous in human history. We have really progressed over the years have we not? Children once taught to work hard and achieve are taught to be victims who are owed. Children once taught to revere God and our country are forbidden to talk with God while in their schoolhouses and they barely know our history. Presidents once spoke boldly and proudly of American Exceptionalism. Now they boast of fundamentally transforming it. Fundamental – the underlying principles and structure of our nation. What we need is a fundamental restoration.

May America Bless God on the Independence Day with a fundamental restoration to her Christian conservative roots.